Faber-Castell Ambition Review (Medium In Black Resin)

[arcadeflow]

the ink didnt get any more concentrate so... I cant say about it well I also found out the ink on my ondoro was nearly empty after 2 months-ish

well unlike my TWSBI mini which has an insane seal or my Preppy which to has an insane seal these pens wont probably last you 2 months at most I cant say with other brands which let their pens breathe though my Lamy logo is still almost full without seeing much writing action

 

My pens usually don't evaporate as fast as this Ambition, usually I don't notice anything, and I don't complain if a month has passed. But this Ambition is pretty quick with evaporation, in a couple days it will start very dark and in a week it will write dark for a couple sentences. In two weeks I might have flow problems with some inks and later on I have to flush it, wetting the nib won't be enough because the next day it is going to dry up again and have erratic flow.

 

I only want to figure out if mine is defective or if all Ambition pens are like this. I have to use it every day or else it's unreliable.

[Rupert A]

I realise that this is an old thread, but having recently bought a Faber Castell Ambition, black resin version, I thought I would add a few comments. I was attracted by the stylish look and by the fact that the nib is the same as the Faber Castell e-motion, which I had found to be very smooth (although firm) and one favoured by SBRE Brown in an old "Greatest of all time" pens review. However the e-motion, dark brown pear wood version, whilst stunning to look at, was for me rather short, heavy and of too broad a girth. I ended up using it only with a Lamy Safari cap posted on it, to add length for comfort and control, without upsetting balance.I hoped that the Ambition would have none of these issues.

Also, the Ambition black resin version appeared to be appreciably better value, at £55.00, than the pear wood or coco wood versions. I was told by the sales assistant that this was "black wood" (an innocent mistake, I do not doubt) and I didn't appreciate that it was resin until I got it home.

It does feel and look a little bit like the Makrolon of the Lamy 2000. But I soon discovered that the Ambition is also a bit short un-posted, yet if you do post the cap (as is clearly intended by the stepped design), the cap makes the pen very back heavy and unbalanced. I wonder whether the wood versions may perhaps have a metal barrel lining which the resin one does not, so that the resin one suffers more than the others with this balance issue.

So, the pen seems, to me, too short un-posted but too back-heavy when posted. I could not think of a way to add weight to the section. Then it occurred to me that the solution might be to post the cap of another, lightweight pen. After trying caps from numerous caps (going through several pots and boxes of old unloved roller ball pens etc.) I eventually found the Stabilo bionic rollerball, the short orange cap of which fits on the Ambition almost perfectly. So I am back to using Faber Castell pens with non-matching caps posted. Not ideal but it is better than the alternative.

Incidentally, I do like the pattern of dimples on the nib. In sunlight, they sparkle like crystals. Also, I have found that these nibs also cope better than most at being left for a few minutes uncapped, without drying up, making the pens well suited to intermittent note-taking. You do then need some sort of cap posted, to stop it rolling around on a desk.

[owend]

I have the pearwood, which I think does have a (thin so quite light) brass liner. It's too heavy to use posted, but I don't usually post anyway; I find it's very nearly too short, but actually very comfortable to use unposted. I have a Medium nib on it, a lovely smooth nib and contrary to previous posters I don't have any drying-out issues for well over a week unused (I use Diamine ink).

 

There could be a roll-off-the-desk issue, but I don't leave an uncapped pen on the desk for fear of getting ink over everything, and capped there isn't a problem, and for note-taking I find it caps/uncaps easily.

 

A well-made pen, I like it a lot. However, if you want the same nib but a lighter pen, you could try the Loom, which takes the same nib unit (simple screw-out, screw-in), is lighter, posts firmly and is well-balanced when posted. You don't say what width nib you got, but if you get a Loom, get it in a different nib width as the nib unit is interchangeable with the Ambition.

 

Owen

[Rupert A]

Hi Owen, I was interested to read your comments on the Ambition pearwood version. I recall reading a specification somewhere, which showed it to be slightly heavier than the resin one, so this will help to avoid the feeling of imbalance when posted. Presumably this is down to the weight of the brass liner in the barrel plus the pearwood finish, being heavier than the unlined, resin version.

I too am delighted with the nib. Mine is marked Medium but is on the fine side for a medium. I will look out for the Look which you mention.

Rupert.

[owend]

I haven't tried the resin version, but I wouldn't think there is much in the weight: the pearwood version's barrel looks fairly thin-walled, and a thin wood skin over a thin brass tube isn't going to be very heavy. The cap certainly feels heavy; I don't have accurate scale but from juggling in my hand I think the cap is heavier than the rest of the pen, inked up!

[Sergio 46]

 

They havn't tried Diplomat pens I'm guessing.

I agree , Diplomat is a remarkable quality FP brand that doesn't get the praise it deserves .

[jozefk]

Would it be possible to know the dimensions of these three parts please?

 

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss281/jozsefk9/faber%20castell%20ambition_zpsmugsjnzh.png

 

Thank you!

[AndyYNWA]

The barrel diameter: 11 mm.

Nib length: 18 mm

Section length: 9 mm

[jozefk]

Thanks! So sad that the barrel is 11mm. Everything else would be perfect. Have to find another pen now. Ah.

[AndyYNWA]

Too wide? Too slim?

[jozefk]

Too wide? Too slim?

Too wide. I need 9mm. I like everything else about this Faber Castell, especially the nib. Do you know something with long section ? Preferably German brand coz I like their quality.

[AndyYNWA]

I don't think you will find something that is much narrower, but take a look in this thread:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/313605-seeking-slim-fountain-pen/page-3?do=findComment&comment=3716444

[jozefk]

I don't think you will find something that is much narrower, but take a look in this thread:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/313605-seeking-slim-fountain-pen/page-3?do=findComment&comment=3716444

Thanks. I went through that thread. I saw Sailor Regulus there. It's not about the barrel that I am looking for to be slim but the section. This Faber Castell would be perfect because the barrel is where you hold it. So basically the whole barrel is a "section". The reason I like that is because I usually hold the pen a bit higher, so most of the time it's not comfortable because in that area I either hold the threads or the step up from section to barrel.

[senzen]

 

 

 

It does feel and look a little bit like the Makrolon of the Lamy 2000. But I soon discovered that the Ambition is also a bit short un-posted, yet if you do post the cap (as is clearly intended by the stepped design), the cap makes the pen very back heavy and unbalanced. I wonder whether the wood versions may perhaps have a metal barrel lining which the resin one does not, so that the resin one suffers more than the others with this balance issue.

 

I just checked with a torch (lamp), my pearwood ambition does seem to have a metal lining, the weight seems fine to me, but I can't compare it with the black ambition since I've never held one. Now I have to wonder in turn whether the OpArt versions like curry and sand also have this metal barrel or lining... The black seems like a good price, it seems a lot more complex to make it in wood, and with the included converter it does seem to be reasonable to pay more...

[MontPelikan]

Hello,

 

a little video review of this pen here:

 

Thank you for watching and sharing!

 

MontPelikan